A universal integrated circuit card (UICC) is a smart card inserted into a mobile communication terminal, or the like, and is called a UICC card. The UICC may include an access control module for accessing a network of a mobile carrier. An example of the access control module may include a universal subscriber identity module (USIM), a SIM, an internet protocol (IP) multimedia service identity module (ISIM), or the like. The UICC including the USIM is generally called a USIM card. Similarly, the UICC including an SIM module is generally called an SIM card. In the following description of the present disclosure, the SIM card is used as a general term including the UICC, or the like, in which the UICC card, the USIM card, and the ISIM are included. That is, the technology of the SIM card may be identically applied to the USIM card, the ISIM card, or even the general UICC card.
The SIM card may store personal information on a mobile communication subscriber and perform subscriber authentication and a generation of a traffic security key upon an access to a mobile communication network, thereby implementing the use of the safe mobile communication.
The SIM card is generally manufactured as a dedicated card for the corresponding mobile carrier by a request of a specific mobile carrier upon manufacturing. A card is thereby released in which authentication information for accessing a network, for example, USIM application and international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), a K value, an open platform communication (OPc) value, or the like, is mounted in advance. Therefore, the corresponding mobile carrier receives the manufactured SIM card and delivers the SIM card to a subscriber. Thereafter, if necessary, the SIM card may use technologies of over the air (OTA), or the like, to perform managements of installation, modification, deletion, or the like, of applications within the UICC. A subscriber inserts the UICC card into his/her own mobile communication terminal to use a network of the corresponding mobile carrier and application services. In addition, when replacing a terminal, a subscriber takes out the UICC card from the existing terminal and inserts the UICC card into a new terminal, such that the new terminal may use authentication information, a mobile communication telephone number, a personal telephone directory, or the like, which are stored in the UICC.
However, the SIM card is inconvenient for a mobile communication terminal user in receiving services of other mobile carriers. There is inconvenience in that the mobile communication terminal user needs to physically get the SIM card to receive services from a mobile carrier. For example, there is also inconvenience in that when a mobile communication terminal user travels to other countries, he/she needs to get an on-site SIM card to receive on-site mobile communication services. A roaming service may somewhat solve the foregoing inconveniences, but there is a problem in that the mobile communication terminal user may not receive the roaming services due to an expensive fee and when a contract between mobile carriers are not established.
A significant portion of the foregoing inconveniences may be solved by downloading and installing the SIM module to and in the UICC card. That is, the SIM module of the mobile communication service to be used may be downloaded to the UICC card at the user's desired time. The UICC card may also download and install a plurality of SIM modules and may select and use only one of the plurality of SIM modules. The UICC card may be fixed in a terminal or may not be fixed in the terminal. In particular, the UICC fixed in the terminal is called an embedded UICC (eUICC). Generally, the eUICC fixed in the terminal describes the UICC card which may download and select SIM modules remotely. According to the present disclosure, the UICC card which may download and select the SIM module remotely is commonly called the eUICC. The UICC fixed in the terminal or not fixed in the terminal among the UICC cards which may download and select the SIM modules remotely is commonly called the eUICC. Further, information on the downloaded SIM module is commonly used as the term eUICC profile.
The above information is presented as background information only, and to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.